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Earlier this month, information got here in that members of rightwing organisations had filed police complaints towards Annapoorani’s director Nilesh Krishnaa, the lead actor Nayanthara and others for allegedly hurting the bulk neighborhood’s sentiments.
The record of grievances was predictable within the current political local weather, contemplating that the movie is about an upper-caste lady, daughter of a temple cook dinner in Tamil Nadu, rising above her social and spiritual conditioning relating to meat consumption to develop into a chef. Amongst different objections, offence was taken at feedback within the movie about Ram’s consuming habits and the heroine’s relationship with a Muslim man.
Annapoorani was in theatres in December 2023. Its arrival on an OTT is what led to an outcry. What modified within the intervening weeks? The reply will not be flattering to Netflix. It additionally speaks volumes about who in India is keen to push again towards fundamentalist diktats and who capitulates unhesitatingly.
On the time of its theatrical launch, Annapoorani was not extensively marketed throughout the nation. Which is why critiques emanated nearly completely from south Indian reviewers and viewers who, because it occurs, are accustomed to filmmakers persevering with to query conservative values regardless of the rightwing backlash they face. The southern ecosystem, due to this fact, dissected Annapoorani’s politics and cinematic value, and that was that.
When the movie dropped on Netflix, nevertheless, it attracted sections of the correct who’ve grown used to the Hindi movie business largely genuflecting earlier than the institution prior to now decade. Fuelled by their monitor document of successes on this a part of the nation, they took a authorized path to protest. Annapoorani’s co-producers, Zee Studios with its head workplace in Mumbai, promptly apologised in response to a letter from VHP. There was no court docket ruling asking them to take action, not even violence that has develop into frequent in such circumstances. Zee did what LK Advani accused the media of doing through the Emergency of 1975-77: when requested to bend, they crawled. Annapoorani is outwardly now being re-edited whereas it stays off Netflix.
Distinction this to the Tamil Nadu BJP attacking Mersal (2017) and the actor Vijay, even dragging his minority spiritual identification into the dialogue, as a result of his character in that movie criticised authorities coverage and specifically GST. The general public within the state and the Tamil movie business backed Mersal.
Because of this, the producers who had been reportedly making ready to capitulate, dug their heels in as a substitute, and the movie stayed on target, turning into a theatrical blockbuster earlier than reaching an OTT.
Annapoorani, too, has defenders in Tamil Nadu. Whereas condemning the hazard to creativity that this episode signifies, nevertheless, the influential producer-director Pa Ranjith was quoted in Chennai Instances as saying, ‘It’s unusual to notice that the manufacturing firm did not struggle again. If there was a struggle, we’d have all supported them.’
It’s not that south India is freed from bigotry. Clearly not. The objections that the protagonist faces in Annapoorani come from actuality. It’s equally the truth although that defiance from the cinema of the south and movie artistes continues to be the norm. As debatable as Annapoorani’s high quality is, in its personal manner, it’s an act of resistance. {That a} main studio like Zee and the worldwide streaming main Netflix didn’t protect the movie until all authorized choices had been exhausted is shameful.
Netflix is headquartered within the US, a rustic that prides itself on its free speech beliefs. In its indifference to an Indian movie chosen by its Indian arm, the corporate has proved that its dedication to democratic norms will not be common however selective.
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